Arising
by phoenix.of.rhapsody
Summary: They were completely different in every way, yet somehow they formed a team. When one last threat comes their way, will they rise or fall? HieiBotan
1. Prologue

**This is my first Yu Yu Hakusho fanfiction so be gentle, please. I would definitely love some positive input though. There's no way to get better as a writer without knowing what other people think. Please, read and review. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho in any way, shape, form, or fashion. **

Life is eternal, and love is immortal,

And death is only a horizon;

And a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.

-Rossiter Worthington Raymond

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The clock at the end of the hallway chimed three in the morning.

Bleary eyes peered about at the shadowed outlines of furniture along the bedroom walls. Her eyelids drooped closed for a moment and then snapped open. She shifted in her seat, drawing her legs up beneath her and let out a shaky sigh. She reached over the arm of the chair to the napkin on the bedside table and lifted a cracker to her lips; it tasted like cardboard in her mouth.

The soft rustle caught her attention. Magenta eyes, glistening in the moonlight, turned to the bed. A new pearlescent jewel, charcoal grey, rolled off the pillow. With her free left hand, she reached for it and held it up. In the wan light, the tear gem appeared the color of pitch, as dark as a moonless sky. She placed it in the porcelain bowl with others of its kind.

He jerked in his sleep. For a moment, his head lifted off the pillow before he fell back onto the mattress with a pain-filled gasp. His hand gripped her trembling fingers tighter. He sputtered. The words were never fully articulated before they turned into groans.

She leaned forward. Her left hand brushed strands of raven from his forehead. Beads of sweat ran down the side of his face.

"Shh," she cooed in his ear. Another tear gem plinked onto the pillow.

"Is there any change?"

She peered over her shoulder. Koenma's teenage form stood in the doorway. His eyes were solemn. The tears began to fall from her eyes as she shook her head. He crossed to her side in a few short steps.

"Shh, shh," he whispered. "Don't start crying just yet. He'll pull through this. And besides, you don't want to wake Kurama, do you?"

He motioned to the opposite side of the bed. Kurama had fallen asleep hours before, his head falling forward so his chin touched his chest. He was tensed, even deep in his slumber.

"I'm scared, Koenma," she confessed in a hushed tone. He nodded once.

"Don't – "

Both sets of eyes shot to his face, even Kurama flinched. His brows were knitted together, his eyes clenched tightly closed. His hand clawed at the bandages wrapped around his torso, where deep crimson was already staining through the fresh cloth. She removed her hand from his grip and hoisted herself out of the chair. Koenma watched her lean over his thrashing form and pin both his wrists to the mattress. Her aqua hair spilled over her shoulders, curtaining her face, but he heard her breathy endearments.

Several long moments passed before the struggling ceased.

She eased herself back into the chair. "He can't take much more of this. He's dying, sir."

"There's not much more we can do, I'm afraid," he whispered. There was a thick remorse in his voice; he regretted saying it as much as she did hearing it. "The rest is up to him."

He stood and straightened his clothes. After a moment's hesitation, he stooped down again and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "He'll be okay."

"Would you give these to Yukina?" she asked, nodding her head to the heaping bowl of tear gems. "I know she's still awake and it'll give her something to do."

"Of course," he nodded and picked up the bowl.

She strained her ears and listened to his steps fade down the hallway before she let her head roll back into the cushion of the chair. The faint glimmer of hope that she'd been clinging to was dwindling before her very eyes. Every shuddering breath he took, every time he cried out or a tear crystallized before her eyes – it disappeared. She grabbed his hand. _Please don't leave me…please…_

He squeezed her fingers.

"Botan?"

Her eyes shot open and she leaned forward, rubbing her thumb in smooth circles along the back of his hand. "I'm right here, love, right here."

His face was a mask of agony. It was almost tangible. The moments passed in unbearable silence and then he peeled his eyelid back a fraction, and a sliver of pained crimson looked up at her.

"Don't…" he tensed again, as another spasm of pain shot up his spine. "D-don't worry…about…me."

She encased his hand in both of hers and brushed his fingers against her lips. They were still caked with dried blood. "That's a very foolish thing to say. I worry about you when you're perfectly perfect, let alone when you're hurt. Don't speak, love."

He shook his head once. His eyes opened wider and she blinked. He looked almost scared. "D-don't…forget."

She froze.

For one small second, a smile settled onto his face. And then he stilled.

"Hiei?" Her heart sped up. "Hiei."

She shot to her feet. The scraping sound of the chair against the floor woke Kurama. He was beating life into the fire demon's chest before she had fully registered the fact that he was slipping away from her.

A tear slipped down her cheek. "No…"

Kurama snapped his head up. His jade were wild with panic but when he spoke, his voice was the barest whisper on the air. "Breathe for him, Botan."

She couldn't move anything. Her misty eyes were fixed on his paled face. He seemed so peaceful; he had slipped beyond the hardships that had dogged him all his life. Her heart ached – was it worth bringing him back to pain?

"Botan!" he snapped into her train of thought. "We are _not_ going to lose anyone today, do you hear me? Please, Botan, help me…"

She blinked the moisture out of her eyes and nodded. With a fierce determination, she pressed her lips to his and breathed. Kurama was right. They weren't losing anyone today. She was going to make sure of it. Kurama continued with the compressions, watching them out of the corner of his eyes. Botan slapped the demon's cheek before she breathed again. "I haven't ferried a soul to Spirit World in almost six months, Hiei! The first one _will not_ be the soul of someone I love! Do you hear me?"

The door opened and there was Yusuke, eyes wide. Behind him was Kuwabara, mouth ajar. Then Yukina with her _plink plink_ tears. And then there was an unfamiliar form of a small, little child.

She stepped forward, around Yusuke and Yukina. Her ebony hair was braided down her back. Botan found herself drowning in a replica of her own bright pink eyes. The little girl smiled and said, "Hello, Mommy."

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**So how was my first try? I'd really appreciate some feedback...it helps my self esteem. Thanks!**

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	2. Task

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first chapter. I really do appreciate it. Here's the first chapter...enjoy! Please read and review!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.**

What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.

-T.S. Eliot

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_November (six months earlier)_

She drifted somewhere in the dark blue. Her head was directed to a cushion but she couldn't bring herself to care who it had been. The blue was an enemy, that muddy haze that dimmed all senses save hearing. She let out a breathy sigh and pulled her elbow underneath her head, listening to the conversations circulating above her head with heightened perception. The sofa shifted as someone sat down by her feet.

"Yusuke, calm down," the person said. Botan breathed deep. Kurama. It was hard to misplace that measured, soothing tone he used. It had saved her from many nervous breakdowns in the past.

"No, I'm sick of waiting Kurama," the teenaged spirit detective seethed. He huffed by the sofa on his thirteenth lap across the room. "The toddler told us to be here at eight o'clock sharp. We were here at seven fifty-nine. Four and a half hours ago. How long does he expect us to way?"

Botan forced her lips to move. The words came out as a sluggish murmur, "Quit your whining, Yusuke. He'll be here when he gets here."

She heard the shuffling of his feet as he finished another lap of his frustrated pacing. Kuwabara sounded equally frustrated. "It _is _rude to tell someone to be somewhere and then not bother to show up."

"He'll be here when he gets here," Yusuke mimicked her. "He should be here when he says he will be. I don't like being – ow!"

Another voice, dripping with sarcasm, drowned him out. "Shut up, Yusuke, I'm trying to sleep."

She couldn't help the smile that curled up the edges of her lips. Keiko was another who had helped her through the years.

"Keiko, will you – oh, don't give me that look Hiei! You're taking _their_ side?"

Botan peeled back an eyelid to see the fire demon shift his withering glare back to the window. "Hn. The sound of your voice _is_ growing annoying."

Yusuke fell into a chair and muttered, "I just love it when everyone gangs up on me." He paused and then spoke again. "Koenma still isn't here, by the way. Just in case no one noticed."

She forced herself into an upright position, magenta eyes glaring through the strands of aqua blue that had escaped her ponytail. Her T-shirt slipped off her shoulder as she sat up and she grabbed at it with weak, sleepy fingers. "Yusuke!"

"Show some patience, please," Koenma's laugh was low and forced from the doorway. All eyes went to him. The confidence was gone from his teenage shoulders and there was an subdued urgency shining in his dark eyes. The unexpected seriousness drained the argument out of everyone. Even Yusuke's shoulders slumped a little. "This is the end of the world, you know."

Kuwabara sat back in his seat. "That bad, huh?"

Kurama raised a hand, "Perhaps we should listen and hear what Koenma has to say."

The ruler of Spirit World crossed the room and sat down at the only vacant seat remaining. "I do apologize for being late. It wasn't my original intention. But I'm here now so let me explain."

He folded his hands and stared at the ground as he began to tell his tale. "You're all aware, of course, that there are innumerable types of beings alive in the three worlds. There are the humans, the demons, the spirits – and they all have their own special part to play." He waited for their nods. "And then there are some beings who do not fall under any category and whose purpose is essential to that of all the others. There has been a mutual, however unofficial, agreement between the three worlds that such creatures are to be protected, remain unharmed. Unfortunately, there are some who hold no loyalties to anyone or anything. You will be undergoing a recovery mission, to bring someone back under the protection they were taken from."

He leaned forward and placed a file on the coffee table in the center of the room and then stood, walking to the window behind his seat. "Your mission is simple. Rescue the girl." He looked out over the darkness that covered the street below them. "However, I fear you'll face numerous difficulties before you can complete this task. Why don't you take a look at the woman you're rescuing."

Yusuke snatched the file from the table and opened to the large photo attached on the inside cover. She seemed normal enough, certainly not enough to put Koenma in such a state of panic. Caramel colored brown hair framed a heart-shaped face. On a street, he probably wouldn't have given her a second glance.

Then he saw her eyes.

They glinted up off the page at him like dew covered sapphires in the sunlight. One glance into them was like peering into a pool that held past, present, and future. His mouth fell open as he stared into the blue. They stared back up at him, stared _through _him. He knew those eyes would be able to see everything; there was no hiding from truth while under that gaze. He passed the file around, his mind reeling.

Kurama diverted his attention away from her mesmerizing stare. He swept his own eyes over her other features, cataloguing her minor attributes. She was pretty, but in an unusual manner. It was a simple beauty that provoked caution, told people to stay away. She was dressed in normal human clothing. She wore hardly any jewelry or makeup to help identify her. Except –

"The necklace," he gaped. Hiei took the file as Kurama stepped towards the prince of Spirit World.

Botan watched shock flicker across the fire demon's face. He raised a brow, "A phoenix? That's impressive."

When the folder reached her, her eyes shot straight to the thin chain about the woman's neck. The pendant at her collarbone wasn't extravagant, but there was something ethereal to it. A burgundy stone was inlaid in the center of a silver wiring that looped in and around itself, with no apparent beginning or end. It was unlike anything she'd seen.

Yusuke stumbled through his words. Confusion was the dominant expression on his face. "A phoenix? What - ?"

Kuwabara frowned. "But aren't phoenixes magical birds that live for a long time and then burn and then…they're not human girls."

Hiei rolled his eyes and muttered, "Idiot."

Koenma turned from the window, "The phoenix bird is merely the human perception. And I assure you, Kuwabara, she is _not_ human. Nor is she a demon or a spirit."

"Then what is she?" Yusuke demanded. "I mean, I know she's a phoenix whatever that means, but what does that have to do with anything? If we humans got it wrong then what is right?"

Koenma sighed and sat down again, motioning for everyone to do the same. "Since the beginning, there has always been a phoenix. She is a collective for generations upon generations of knowledge, healing, and infinite power. The real thing follows its human idea in that she lives out her life and then, when they die, the power, the "gift" of the phoenix, is passed on to her successor. The new phoenix gains access to everything the former generations knew. Thus, the resurrection. Rising from the ashes."

He paused and took a breath. "In the past, they were depended upon as bringers of peace following the catastrophes that struck the planet. And now one has been taken. Captured. The survival of this woman is imperative."

Yusuke narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean "imperative"?"

Kurama closed his eyes. "If a phoenix dies before her time, there can be no other. The wisdom and insight gathered over countless generations will cease to be."

Koenma nodded. "Centuries worth of knowledge and power lost forever."

Kuwabara glanced at the picture again. "Well that's bad."

Hiei grinded his teeth together. "Yes, you fool."

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**Well, there's the Chapter 1. Hope everyone liked it. I feel like it wasn't my best writing. Let me know what you thought of it. Thanks!**

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	3. The Finding of Faye

**Here's the second chapter. Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing. I'm finding that chapters seem to spill forth a lot faster when I know someone's reading them. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to write this coming week, though. School was cancelled all last week because of the winter storm so I had free time but now...Chemistry kicks my butt. I'll do my best though. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy! And Review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.**

Remember tonight…for it is the beginning of always.

-Anonymous

* * *

"Are we supposed to ring the doorbell?" Kuwabara asked. He prodded the front door of the small, clean-cut house with his foot. He peeked in the window, cupping his hands around his eyes to block the light. Yusuke banged his fist against the door once, twice, thrice.

"It looks likes it should be on the front cover of a home and garden magazine," Botan mused. She stood at the back of the group, pulling at her thin jacket to ward off the chill. "Certainly not the kind of place you would expect to find a girl being held captive."

Kurama, too, eyed the place with narrowed, wary eyes. His jade eyes darted at every noise. "Appearances are deceiving. We should be cautious."

Hiei said nothing. Silent and tense, he stepped between Yusuke and Kuwabara and grasped at the door handle. With a flick of his wrist, the door swung open. The sunlight invaded the entry space, swimming in to dominate the darkness. Their silhouettes were cast onto splintered hardwood flooring. Kurama took a hesitant step forward also; his suspicions were confirmed.

"Not home and garden worthy anymore, eh Botan?" Yusuke asked in a terse tone. She inched near to him, ready for anything.

"Like I said," Kurama whispered. "Things typically _aren't_ what they first seem to be."

Hiei disappeared into the darkness of the house. Dust and mold suffused the air with a feeling of dread. There was something wrong with this place. He swept his crimson eyes around the kitchen, the first room they encountered. Rotting chairs were overturned and bloodied handprints spattered the daisy-printed wallpaper with a deep, desolate layer of blackening red. His hand twitched as he fought against the urge to draw his sword.

Kuwabara stumbled back when he entered the kitchen. "Gah! What happened in here?"

Botan lifted a hand to her lips as her stomach twisted into knots. _Something terrible happened here_, she thought. Kurama placed a hand on her shoulder and led her back into the foyer, where the sunlight offered a modicum of relief. He motioned for the others to follow.

"I think we should find the girl quickly and then leave," he said. "This is not the sort of place we want to spend any length of time in."

"Koenma wanted us to look for clues, remember?" Yusuke grumbled. He glanced back over his shoulder; the pointer finger of his hand was already poised for a quick strike, should the need arise.

The redhead nodded. "Hiei, Botan, and I will search for the girl. Yusuke, you and Kuwabara should see what you can find for Koenma. We will meet back at the door in ten minutes. Agreed?"

The detective nodded his head. "Yeah."

Kuwabara hesitated. His senses were prickling, warning him that something sinister lurked in the shadows. "And what if there's trouble?"

Hiei walked into the shadows without a backwards glance but his flat, sarcastic tenor replied, "It's a small house and your irritating voice is hard to misplace. I'm sure we'll hear you."

With a small smile, Kurama directed Botan after him.

The remainder of the house was in no better condition than the kitchen. In the bathrooms, the sinks and bathtubs were backlogged with murky grey water and the furniture in the rooms crumbled, rotted to the point it would not stay together. Yusuke and Kuwabara clattered in the dining room at the end of the hall. Kurama threw open a door, leading into a cramped study of sorts. The frayed carpet was littered with books; their pages were torn and yellow. Botan backed away and turned to the last remaining door. She reached out for the handle and was surprised at how warm it felt to her fingers. It opened outwards.

She staggered back a few feet from the swirling pool of dark that was a staircase leading down. A basement.

"Kurama, Hiei," she murmured. "There's a basement."

She felt them behind her. "Do you think she's down there?"

"It couldn't hurt to check," Kurama nodded and went first into the blackness. Botan crept down behind him, leaving Hiei to take up the rear. She lost her footing a few yards down and nearly fell. A powerful grip on her shoulder kept her from tumbling down the mushy steps. The fire demon hissed in the still air behind her.

"Thank you, Hiei," she breathed.

"Hn."

The stairs came out where a hallway opened up into a large, open area. The majority of what she saw was unfinished and the part that was finished was in the same condition as the first floor. She bounded over several collecting pools of sloshing brown. Hiei held his hands behind his back, an expression of disgust on his face. "Cheerful place."

"Let's search quickly," Kurama said, overstepping a molded piece of fallen dry wall. There was an open doorway across the room. "Hiei would you check the hallway?"

Botan folded her arms across her chest. She shivered. A glint in the dim light caught her eye and she went to it. A damp countertop ran along the far wall and laying on top was a plastic bin, about five inches deep and a foot wide. It was filled with crinkled newspapers. The missing phoenix's picture decorated the front page of the top paper. In an open jewelry box, she saw the necklace that had resided around her neck.

"Did you find something, Botan?" he asked. She reached for it and held it up so he could see. His eyes did not register much surprise. He moved to her side. "So she _was_ here."

"Kurama!" Hiei's voice rang out, clear and loud. He knelt in the room at the farthest corner of the basement. A broken down mattress had been tossed onto the floor and a slight, feminine frame was curled in the middle of it. She had swathed herself in the shredded remains of a woolen blanket but lines of dried blood marked the visible skin. Her hair was matted around her face and her features were tensed.

The spirit guide crossed to her side in a few swift steps. She shrugged out of her jacket and tugged it around the trembling shoulders. "Goodness, she's freezing."

Hiei turned his eyes to Kurama, frozen in the doorway. "Kurama – "

"Do you hear that?"

The room silenced at the urgency in his voice. All three sets of ears strained to listen. A tremor rattled through the unstable frame of the building. Hiei rose to his feet and Botan pulled the woman to her.

Yusuke's yell split the air, "Hey! Kurama, Hiei, this whole place is rigged to blow!"

The two demons threw themselves at the girls. Kurama hoisted the motionless phoenix into his arms and Hiei half-lifted, half-dragged Botan out of the room as another, violent rumble shook the house. A ceiling tile fell and cut her arm. He tugged at her, hurtling up the stairs in his friend's wake. Kuwabara was heaving debris out of their path; the very walls were coming down around them. Yusuke raised his index finger and blasted a four-by-six away before it struck the redhead.

"Come on! There's a bomb rigged in the laundry room!"

The line of trees to the side of the house offered some protection when the flames shot up and the explosion bellowed fiery curses at the five rescuers. Kurama lifted himself away from the woman and Botan stooped next to them. In the light of day, her bruises and cuts were more apparent. Her left wrist was twisted in an unnatural position.

"How's she doing?" Yusuke asked.

"She's injured, that's for sure," Kurama replied. "But her breathing isn't labored and her pulse is strong. I'd say she'll be fine with rest and proper nutrition."

Botan lifted herself onto shaky legs and turned to face the dark-clad demon. He stood farthest away, his unreadable eyes staring at the flaming remains of the house. "Hiei?"

He didn't turn but she knew he was listening. "Thank you for getting me out."

"Hn. You shouldn't have come. You'll only hurt yourself." His head swiveled around at the sound of Kuwabara's frenzied voice. His sleeve had caught fire and he stood there, waving his arms in the air. "Then again, you're better than he is."

She was about to reply but someone else spoke before she could. A trembling, rough voice whispered, "Who are you? What do you want?"

The cavernous sapphire eyes were guarded. Botan dropped to the girl's side again. "I'm Botan and this is Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara. You're a phoenix, right?"

She nodded, "My name is Faye."

"You're fine now, Faye, I promise. Koenma sent us to bring you back under Spirit World protection. You're fine."

She swallowed and lowered her eyes to the ground. "Then he knows."

Yusuke raised a brow. "Knows what?"

But she didn't answer. She just closed her eyes and shivered.

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**So now we've met the phoenix. I have a quick question. In the past couple of chapters, do you think I've been making Yusuke too angry? I want to keep to character as much as possible. Maybe it's just me but I'd love to hear your opinions. Thanks for reading.**

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	4. A Coming Storm

**Sorry it's been so long. This chapter took forever to write for some reason. And then my internet was acting funny. Anyway, here it is. Chapter 3. I hope you all enjoy it. Read and Review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. **

He has the spirit of the sun,

The moods of the moon,

The will of the wind.

-Julie Perkins Cantrell

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Her breath puffed out in front of her in flimsy, white clouds. The fabric of her kimono was thick, but the chill that hung in the air had a way of soaking through the threads. She hesitated on the concrete in front of Genkai's temple. The elder psychic had made it clear on numerous occasions in the past that she was welcome any time of day, but she'd never felt comfortable just walking into someone's home. _Oh, come on Genkai…Yukina…someone…_

"Hello?" she called again. Usually, the soft cherry eyes of the ice apparition saw her before she could decide either to enter or wait to be noticed. That particular afternoon, however, she was nowhere in sight. "Genkai? Yukina?"

Another shiver crept through her limbs. She took a few steps forward and was raising her hand to let herself in when Yukina rounded a corner to her left.

Her vibrant, cherry eyes widened and a smile settled onto her lips. "Oh, good morning Botan. I hope you haven't been out here waiting very long."

Botan couldn't help but return the smile. "Not that long, really. How are you?"

She followed the aqua-haired apparition inside. The seeping warmth was instantaneous. "I'm doing very well. Thank you for asking. And you? What have you been up to recently?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Koenma's been giving Yusuke a few cases here lately so I've mostly been helping him, rather than ferrying souls to Spirit World," Botan explained. Yukina held the door for her as she passed into a sitting room. There was a kettle and several tea cups already sitting out on the table.

"Oh, yes," Yukina nodded, motioning for her to sit. She emerged with a new tea cup and filled it for her friend. "How is the woman doing? Faye, wasn't it? I hear she's still in Spirit World."

Botan took a sip and then set it down. She ran her finger around the rim without realizing it. "She's doing better. She was in pretty bad shape when we finally got her there but it wasn't anything life threatening. Koenma is making her stay until her ribs are completely healed and she's gained most of her weight back. She was in pretty bad health when we found her."

"That's terrible. Do you know who might have done this to her?"

"No clues," she shook her head. "The house kind of exploded before we could really look around."

"I'm just relieved that no one was hurt," Yukina sighed. "Kazuma told me that when the walls started to collapse, he was almost hit. I really would have hated it if any of you were hurt."

Botan nodded in agreement. "Was he the one who told you about Faye?"

"Actually, no," she shook her head. "Hiei stopped by a little while ago. He was the one who told me."

"What did he want?"

Her face fell, just a fraction. Most people probably wouldn't have noticed it. They would have overlooked the way her head dipped forward and her eyelids drooped just a little over red eyes that seemed to darken in the light. Her lips would pucker and curve down just barely at the edges of her mouth. The softest of sighs would fall from her lips as she hurried to hide the indications – to brighten her eyes and lift her head and tell them that she was fine.

Clearly, Hiei had come on behalf of Yukina's missing brother.

A brother who wasn't quite as lost as the ice maiden had been led to believe.

"He just wanted to give me an update on his search," she said. She lifted her cup to her lips to hide the frown that hadn't been wiped away completely. "I hadn't seen him in awhile and…well, he said he didn't have anything new. I really wasn't expecting there to be. Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder that this brother of mine doesn't care, that he doesn't want me for a sister."

"That's not true, Yukina," Botan shook her head. "You can't think like that. I've never met anyone as kind and compassionate and loving as you. You're beautiful, inside and out. He'd have to be a fool not to want you."

And it was true. Because as cold and harsh as Hiei seemed, she knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Hiei loved her, _adored_ her. And his reasons for keeping his identity a secret, however misguided, reflected nothing more than an older sibling's desire to shelter and protect their younger brother or sister. Botan was not about to let Yukina think for one second that she was unloved; Hiei deserved that much, for good intentions at least. _One of these days, he's going to tell her. I'll make sure of it._

"Thank you, Botan. That's a kind thing to say." Ruby eyes glimmered but no tears formed.

"It's the truth."

"She's right, you know."

Both pink and ruby eyes turned to Genkai's diminutive form in the doorway. She looked at them with tired, contented eyes and there was a small smile playing with her lips. She shifted her gaze to the ice maiden. "Yukina, I was wondering. Could you give us a moment alone? There's something I need to ask her."

"Of course," she smiled. "I think I'll take a walk. The air is so cold and clean."

The psychic took her place. She poured herself a steaming mug of tea and sipped from it. Her eyes closed. Botan watched, not knowing what she should say or if she should say anything. It was clear that there was something plaguing the woman's mind, but she hadn't the slightest inclination as to what it was. She opened her mouth to speak.

"Koenma is worried about something." Genkai spoke before she had a chance. Another long silence stretched between them.

"Wha-What do you mean? Has he said something to you?"

She shook her head. Her eyes were still closed. The spirit guide swallowed; her eyes slowly widened. In all the time she'd known the well-known psychic, she'd never seen her like this. It wasn't normal. The Genkai she'd come to love was strong-willed and sarcastic, with a sharp tongue and a clever mind. Now, though, she seemed…old, like the years she'd lived had caught up with her. "Genkai?"

"Botan I want you to listen very carefully," she said. The flicker of her usual, determined, witty self shone through. "While you and Yukina were in here, I was speaking to Koenma. He didn't tell me much, but I was able to infer quite a bit. Now I can't tell you everything, but I do want you to be aware that this is a significant threat – and it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

She paused and crossed the room to look out over the woods. "I'm getting old, Botan and though I'm not planning on surrendering to old age and all of its lovely, endearing perks, I am not so foolish as to think that I can still be as active in saving the world as I once was. Yusuke is a good kid, there's no denying that. Sure, he's stubborn and stupid and reckless at times but his heart's in the right place.

"I'm telling you this because I'm afraid for all of you. Yusuke and Kuwabara still have much to learn. Kurama and Hiei may know enough to help them survive but I fear that this is something greater than what any of them are ready for. I just wanted you to know."

Botan's voice failed her at first. Her mouth had run dry and her fingers curled into fists in her lap. She whispered, "What can I do?"

Genkai turned to face her. "You do what you always do. Give them hope, encouragement." She crossed back to where she had previously sat. "There was one more thing, though. Koenma asked me to tell you that he's decided, when the phoenix is allowed to leave Spirit World, he wants all of the boys to protect her. And that means staying in one place. He wanted to know if you mind having a full house?"

"Everyone staying at my apartment?"

She nodded.

"No, I guess not," her voice quivered. "Is he going to ask Yusuke, or should I?"

"That dimwit is coming to see me later this week," she said. "I'll ask him then. I'll make sure he tells Kuwabara. Koenma told me he's already spoken to Kurama about it, so that's taken care of. That just leaves…"

"Hiei."

Botan nodded to herself and raised her chipped tea cup to her lips. She drained its contents in a single swallow and cursed her luck. There were about a million ways that she'd hoped to spend her day. And she was fairly certain that that list did not include hunting down a certain crimson-eyed fire demon.

* * *

She found him in a tree.

His eyes were closed and his arms were behind his head – the picture of ease. She hovered on her oar as close as to him as she could without flying into the thick, sturdy boughs around him. "Hiei! You know I'm here, so look at me."

He cracked open one eye and peered at her with annoyed crimson. "Or what?"

She kicked at the air. "Fine, then, don't look at me. But, please, listen. Koenma wanted me to tell you and he wanted me to make sure you knew that it wasn't a request. He wanted you to know that, since Faye is still in danger, he's decided that all of you will be staying with her at my apartment."

Hiei made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat and glared ahead. "He has some nerve to think he can _order_ me to do that."

Botan turned her eyes to follow his gaze. From their height, they were blessed with a radiant view of Mother Nature's canvas as she lifted her paintbrush to the sky. Pinks and oranges were strewn across the horizon. Smudges of purple and indigo wove themselves into the picture as night pressed in and around.

"Wow," she breathed. Hiei settled back against the tree.

"Hn."

She smiled, still absorbed in the spectacle before her. "You know, I never noticed it before but the red in the sky is the exact same color as your eyes…"

His head snapped towards her and she flushed scarlet. "I mean, um – "

She cursed inwardly and watched him out of the corner of her eye. He stared at the sunset again, his eyes wide and blinking. Then he smirked and closed his eyes, settling back into the positions she'd originally found him in. The sun dipped beyond their sight, the blue covering them in a curtain of night.

She sighed and whispered, "Please, Hiei, just say you'll come when Koenma lets Faye leave Spirit World. It's not worth anyone getting mad at you and it's only until the first of February." She paused and her typical bubbly, cheerful smile brightened her face. "Besides, this is the coldest part of the year. So you probably shouldn't be outside, sleeping in trees."

She gestured wide with her hands.

He popped an eye open again. "You sound like a mother hen."

She huffed, "I just worry about you all sometimes."

He flitted out of the tree and reappeared in a blur of black between the roots. "Don't," he said.

Then he was gone.

She hadn't expected him to take any of the things she'd said to heart. So she was taken by surprise a week later when, as the stinging pellets of freezing rain crashed to the ground, she heard an insistent tapping at her apartment window. She padded out of her kitchen and there was Hiei, looking at her through the pane of glass with his big, wide sunset, red eyes.

* * *

**For some reason I think I could have done a better job. Oh well. Next time. Just to let you all know, I have not lost sight of where this story is going. Trust me, I do have a plan for it. If you all would review and tell me what you think so far, I'd really really appreciate it! Again, thanks for reading.**

* * *


	5. Roommates

**Sorry it's been so long. I think that whoever came up with the idea of a thesis for essays should be strung up by their toes with spaghetti noodles. Anyway, I apologize if this chapter seems rushed at all. I have been doing a lot of prewriting for this story and also for a potential sequel. Please hit the little button at the bottom and leave me a review! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.**

Mi casa es tu casa.

* * *

She swirled her fingers through her hair until strawberry-scented shampoo bubbles fell onto her shoulders. She stepped into the direct stream of water, not too cold, not too hot, and began to rinse her aqua locks. Soapy water pooled at her feet before dancing down the drain. Botan closed her eyes and dropped her arms. For a long moment, she stood there, just letting the spray cascade over her body. She needed the soothing warmth to ease her sudden nerves. Her mind raced ahead in a whirlwind of thought.

Hiei was in her living room.

Hiei was in her living room, sitting at her window sill, looking out her window as he drank her hot chocolate out of her mug.

And she didn't quite know what to think of it.

She raised her arms to run her fingers through her hair again. It wasn't that she minded, she'd offered after all; it was more the fact that he'd accepted her offer. Hiei wasn't one to be social or show that he depended on other people. A part of her wondered just what was running through his mind, for him to willingly appear on her doorstep – or windowsill, either one. She reached for the bar of soap and lathered her washcloth.

_I guess I'm just going to have to see what happens_, she thought. A smile played with her lips. Botan allowed a happy giggle to spill from her mouth. _Well, if Yukina sings his praises then he must not be _so_ bad. I'll just have to make do. Hmm…I wonder what he wants for dinner. That sounds like a good place to start._

After one last rinse, she turned off the water and reached out for her fluffy, white towel. She stood in front of the mirror and ran a brush through her hair. Her pajamas, blue and warm, were folded neatly on the counter. The fabric was smooth against her skin and she hugged her arms around her torso. Little droplets of water fell from the tips of her hair, darkening the shoulders of her sky blue shirt. _Here goes nothing._

Her eyes scanned the living room as she emerged from her bedroom. He was not hard to find. His dark attire contrasted sharply with the pastel colors that decorated her walls, drawing the eye. She hesitated by the couch, watching him. Hiei was still seated at her window sill, though the mug of hot chocolate she'd given him, the one with the chip on the handle, was on the coffee table. He didn't turn when she came closer; he just watched the pellets of ice strike the window and coat the branches just beyond the glass.

"Hiei?" she whispered. He shifted just enough for her to know that he was listening. "I'm going to go fix something to eat. What would you like?"

His head swiveled around to face her. He didn't say anything.

"It's getting late, though, so I might just have a snack. Do you want popcorn? A sandwich? There's half a cheeseburger left from when Keiko and I went out to lunch earlier today. You want that?"

He blinked once and returned his gaze to the raging storm outside, as if it demanded his attention. "Hn."

Botan narrowed her eyes at him and turned on her heels. Her bare feet smacked against the linoleum as she entered the kitchen and threw open the pantry door. Two minutes later, the tantalizing smell of salt and melted butter wafted through the apartment. She tossed a bag of popcorn to the fire demon and turned her body back to the kitchen. She thought he said "thank you", but she wasn't sure.

While her leftover lunch was absorbing radiation in her microwave, she danced down the hall to the linen closet. She tapped her chin as she perused the shelves of blankets, sheets, and towels. It was a mélange of different fabrics; half of them, she hadn't even bought herself. Thinking of the ice that spilled from the clouds, she raised herself to her tiptoes and yanked the soft green sheets from the top shelf. She didn't know what material they were made of, but they held the heat in; she'd never gotten cold while they were covering her mattress.

"Hiei?" she poked her head back into the living room. A small laugh passed her lips when she caught him, holding a buttery piece in front of him for closer inspection. "It's just popcorn, Hiei, it's not going to hurt you."

He spared a glance in her direction and scrunched his nose up. But his disgust was an afterthought, almost as if he were self-conscious of having her watch him. He shoved it into his mouth and chewed. The next instant, his crimson eyes were wide in wonder, and he raised three more to his lips.

"As worthless as the humans are, they know how to cook their food," he allowed.

Another round of laughs shook her shoulders and she shook her head at him. "Kurama will be proud of you, Hiei."

"Hn."

The sheets in her arms reminded her of what she'd meant to ask him. "Hiei? Do you want a thick blanket or a thin one? I know different people have different preferences."

He pulled his eyes away from the popcorn to her; his expression, like a child on Christmas morning, changed to one of sarcasm and annoyance. "I'm a fire demon. I won't get cold."

She was taken aback by his flat tone and she blinked a few times, fumbling for words. "Oh, right."

And she walked away from the sounds of crunching popcorn.

The sheets wouldn't fit around the corners of the mattress. There was always one corner that would be stubborn and, when she heaved with all her weight to pull it over, another would pop out of place. Looking back, it was probably _her_ that wouldn't cooperate with the sheets, but after ten minutes of pulling on green fabric, a groan rattled out between her teeth. She tossed the pillow covers and thin afghan onto the chair by the window and left the room.

Botan deftly ignored her guest when she reentered the living room, Styrofoam box of leftovers and DVD case in hand. She could feel his eyes on her as she bent over the DVD player by the television set. The cords were a jumbled mess.

"Oh, come on," she whispered, reaching behind the electronics for the right cord.

"Hn," came the derisive snort behind her.

She scurried back to the couch and then spun in a few frantic circles. A fleece blanket fell into her arms and Botan looked to Hiei, who was settling back onto the window sill. The tension in her shoulders ebbed away and she eased into the cushions. A small smile played with her lips. "Thank you, Hiei."

He said nothing.

"This isn't one of my favorites," she admitted. The opening credits flashed on the screen, in a frantic dash as she fast-forwarded. "It's actually quite boring, but it's good for nights like this."

As the scene opened, she raised the soggy burger to her mouth and bit off a piece. By the time she'd settled down to enjoy it, it was cold again. Out of the corner of her wide, pink eyes, she saw him move like lightning through the shadows. His dark form was swallowed by the large recliner in the corner of the room. She suppressed a grin and fixed her eyes on the movie.

She was fast asleep before she reached her favorite part.

* * *

She awoke the next morning to a tiny bead of perspiration running down the side of her face. She cracked groggy pink eyes open and hoisted herself onto her elbows. For several moments, she plowed through the haze that clouded her thoughts and made a vain attempt to figure out how she'd ended up in her bed. Botan peered over her shoulder. The comforter had been pulled up over her thick blanket. She'd been toasty warm alright.

Her elbows gave out and she fell back onto her stomach.

The last thing she remembered was the detective figuring out that it wasn't his girlfriend who had committed the murder, but his girlfriend's evil twin. Hiei had made a snide comment, disgust the prevalent expression on his face. She must have fallen asleep sometime after that. Her neck ached. But that didn't explain how she'd ended up toasty warm in her bed. _Surely Hiei didn't carry me in here._

The thought cleared the cobwebs in her mind. She threw back the covers and rolled off the mattress. The sky blue shirt she wore had ridden up throughout the night.

"Hiei?" she called. Morning sun slanted across the living room floor. The small-statured demon was nowhere in sight. The door to the spare bedroom was pulled almost closed. She half walked, half stumbled to it. "Hiei."

Once again, she encountered an empty room. She smirked at the sight of the slept-in sheets. The corner of the sheet was still undone. She stifled a yawn and meandered to the kitchen.

It was when she saw the slip of paper on the counter, with his message "_There's no milk. – H", _that she knew things were going to be interesting.

* * *

**This chapter was primarily for the sake of character development and "bonding". I've never really had a relationship before so my idea of romance is speculative, based off of what I see and hear, so it's gonna be subtle. Please, leave me some suggestions and opinions. I'd love to have them.**


	6. Unfolding

**Hey everyone! I am sooo sorry that I haven't updated. Things have been crazy for me here lately. I had time to work on this chapter today. I wasn't doing much. As of two days ago, I am officially a blood donor. We had a blood drive at my school. Anyway, on to the story. This chap is really long but it covers a lot. It's come up that my time frame is a little confusing. Hopefully this chapter will clear a few things up. If anything else comes up, let me know. Thanks!**

Speak softly and carry a big stick.

-Theodore Roosevelt

* * *

_December 16_

The apartment door was locked when she reached it. The large bags of groceries weighed heavily in her arms; a lock of aqua hair got caught and tugged against her scalp. Through the walls, her ears could detect the severe tones, the defensive and offensive sides of an ongoing argument. For a long moment, she rested her head against the smudged wooden door.

"Hello?" she called and tapped the toe of her shoe against the door. "Yusuke? Kuwabara? I know someone's in there. Please open the door."

In a swift movement, she yanked her head away from the front door of her two bedroom apartment, now home to six people, and caught the toppling box of pasta with the bridge of her nose. She kicked out with her foot again. "Help!"

Her salvation came from behind her. "Botan?"

A hand came out and removed the precarious weight from the bag of groceries. She shifted her pink eyes to Kurama. He did his best to smooth away his smile so she wouldn't see. "Thank you."

He nodded and lifted himself up to reach the key; he held the door for her. Kuwabara poked his head around the corner, a sandwich hanging out of his mouth. "Botan? Where have you been?"

She smiled. "Just outside, trying to get someone to open the door."

Faye emerged from the kitchen, wiping dampened hands on her skirt. There was a smudge of flour on her pale cheekbone. "Oh, Botan, I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you at the door, I – "

"It's fine," she shook her head. Kurama hefted the two bags into his own arms despite her protests. "Kurama opened the door for me. And it's not your fault you couldn't hear."

She shot a glare at Yusuke. He stood in the corner of the living room, aiming his loud voice at the phone. "Keiko, come on, cut me some slack! It's not my fault that Koenma wants me to stay here!"

Faye lowered her gaze and turned away from the living room. "Koenma is coming over for dinner. He says he has something he needs to tell everyone."

Botan nodded, "It's about time. He's left us hanging for over a month."

She stepped into the kitchen and paused. The subtle scent of baking cinnamon filled her nose. She flipped on the lights and opened the oven. A loaf of bread was centered on the rack. Faye twisted her golden brown locks into a bun at the base of her skull. "Smells good, doesn't it? The phoenix before me came up with this recipe. It has cinnamon and honey and ginger. It's a lot like pumpkin bread, only different."

Botan began lifting groceries out of the shopping bags and onto the counter. Ever moment or so, she paused and filled her lungs with the soothing aroma. "What's it like? To know the things that all the other phoenixes knew?"

Faye opened her mouth to answer when Yusuke's voice rose up again. "Keiko, how many times do I have to tell you that I can't come on that date I promised you?"

Botan giggled. "He would have found an excuse anyway."

Faye smiled. "It's not a big deal. I'm not any less "me" because of it. It's just a part of who I am, a sixth sense of sorts."

"Could you get out the pans please?" she asked. "I know you love to cook. Do you want to make this and I'll make the sauce?"

"Of course, Botan."

Kuwabara came into the kitchen, holding his plate out. Faye took it and brushed the crumbs into the sink. The tall teenager stood there for a moment, awkwardly taking up space. "Kurama's gone out again to find Shortie. Koenma wanted everyone here tonight."

"What are Yusuke and Keiko arguing about?"

He rolled his shoulders and disappeared. There was a thud a moment alter and a crash. Kuwabara called, "Sorry, Botan! I'll clean this up."

"Kuwabara, what was that?"

"A picture frame!"

"Would you go put the picture in my room, please?"

Faye slid across the cramped space on her socked feet. "I'm sorry, Botan. I really am. This is unfair to you."

"Faye, none of this is your fault. We've been doing things like this for years. Yusuke and Kuwabara are just too hard to handle. They're too much like little kids."

Faye laughed, a small bubble of guilty sound. "I think Hiei feels the same way. He doesn't seem to like being around here, too much. Kuwabara especially makes him angry."

Botan lifted a soap bottle and squirted some into her hands. There was a small pop when her hands came together to lather it up. "They've never gotten along."

"_You _and Hiei, on the other hand, seem to be getting along better than Yusuke says you used to."

Botan turned. There was a small curve to the phoenix's glossed lips. A teasing light had flooded her sapphire eyes. "What does that mean, Faye?"

The barest of laughs slipped out, but was caught when the phoenix lifted the back of her hand to her face. "It didn't mean anything. It just meant that you're getting along better. That's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Yusuke's voice shattered the air again. "Kuwabara! What are you doing?"

Botan brushed the fallen strands of her hair behind her ears. She filled a sauce pan with oil and set it over an eye on her stove. She turned the dial to medium-high and the coils beneath the pan glowed red. "I guess you're right."

* * *

_December 2_

_It was exactly one week, three days, and six hours after Hiei's impromptu arrival that Botan stumbled into Spirit World to visit their recuperating phoenix. Faye smiled up from her cross-legged position on the bed. Her head was bent over a thick novel from Koenma's personal library. _

"_Kurama sends new reading material," Botan smiled and lifted her shoulders. The books pulled her arms to the ground. "Where can I set these down?"_

"_Anywhere's fine," she said. "I should be finishing this one pretty soon."_

_A peeling scab dotted her cheekbone. Her collarbone was a yellowing green, surrounded by splotches of purplish red. She looked like she'd been attacked by a toddler with a paintbrush. Her sapphire eyes sparkled. "How are you, Botan?"_

_The aqua-haired spirit guide seated herself at the foot of the bed. She stared at the vase of flowers in the window sill, catching the light filtering in through the pane. The smile faded from the lines of her mouth, but the contentment still flashed in her eyes. The past ten days had been some of the strangest in her life, filled with extra laundry, awkward silences, a board game, and a bout of the stomach flu. She blinked. "I've been fine."_

_Faye dog-eared the page she was reading and set the book to the side. She kicked her legs over the edge of the bed and hoisted herself onto unsteady feet. "I'm glad to hear it, Botan. I like to hear that my friends are all doing okay."_

_And just like that, they were friends. Botan whispered to her side, taking the better portion of the phoenix's slight weight. Her left ankle was still healing. _

"_Let's go see when Koenma's gonna let me go."_

* * *

The metal spoon scraped against the bottom of the pan she was using. Steam curled up into the air, burning her hand. Botan reached over the skillet and turned down the dial on the stove from high to medium-low. The insistent crackling decreased its tempo.

"How's that coming over there?" she twisted to look over her shoulder.

"I'll be ready to put this in the oven in just a second," Faye replied.

"Has Kurama come back yet?"

"I don't think so."

* * *

_December 6_

_He flitted from tree branch to tree branch, a swirl of shadow in the surrounding dark. There were no lights shining through windows of her apartment. He stepped out of the night, onto the balcony. His sharp eyes spotted the thin crack she'd left for him in the window._

"_Hn," he said to himself. "She should know better than to leave her window open."_

_He raised his hands to pry the window upward enough for him to enter._

_The living room carried her scent, a calming medley of strawberries, honey, and lilies. He let his eyes fall closed as his lungs filled with the soothing air. On light feet, he moved to her kitchen. He'd wait for her there. He licked his parched lips. She wouldn't mind if he helped himself to a glass of water._

_The cold liquid ran down his throat and shot icy tingles through his body. He hopped up onto her countertop in a single movement. He turned his gaze to the daisies by the window over the sink. The world beyond the glass had deprived every other home of such a natural beauty; of course, Kurama could make any plant grow in subzero temperatures. A groan gathered in his mouth. He downed the remaining gulps of his drink to swallow the sound. A mask of annoyance settled on his features at the thought of what the dawn would bring._

_The phoenix was being released from Koenma's immediate supervision the following afternoon. Botan was taking her in and with the phoenix came the rest of the little team of which he had somehow become a part. Botan, the phoenix, and Kurama weren't a problem. If he _had_ to have someone around him, they wouldn't annoy him. He would add Yusuke to that list begrudgingly but the last member of the team…he couldn't get past it._

_Kuwabara was the culmination of everything he hated about the humans: loud, bragging, lacking in intelligence. Hiei would have been thrilled to lob off his head but for one setback. Somehow or another, the moronic idiot of a human had captured his sister's attention._

_The fire demon threw himself off the counter and dropped the cup into the sink, ignoring the loud, clanging protest of the glass. "What could Yukina possibly see that she actually _likes_?"_

_Stalking out of the room, a glimmer in the darkness caught his attention. He turned toward it and ruby eyes widened at a sight they'd missed before._

_He approached her small table with the same caution he would give an opponent. In the flickering glow of three little tea candles, he stared at the cupcake. The muffin-shaped sweet was vanilla, decorated with swirling blue icing. A single candle stuck out of the middle. There was a matchbox nearby on the white tablecloth. _

_Hiei blinked._

_He reached forward and lifted the note she'd left so he could read it in the dim light. Her elegant script slanted across the thick piece of stationary. _

Hiei, I'm so sorry I couldn't be here to celebrate with you. But, regardless, Happy Birthday! Yes, I know it's your birthday. I was putting some files away in Spirit World the other day and somehow yours had gotten tangled up with them. I should be home pretty soon but, for now, enjoy the cupcake. It's birthday tradition for you to light the candle and make a wish while blowing it out. It'll come true! There's ice cream in the freezer. And don't think you can get away with not opening your present.

Happy Birthday, Hiei. I hope it's a good one for you.

Love, Botan

_He picked up the box that had been lying on the other side of the candles. The deep burgundy paper appeared the color of blood in the candlelight. It wasn't heavy in his hand. With a single yank of the ribbon, the bow came undone. He slid a finger under the tape and peeled away the paper._

_Beneath was a small, wooden box. It easily fit in his palm. There were designs, though not intricate or ornate, carved into the wood. A slip of paper twirled in the air, onto the table. The same script adorned this sheet:_ Hiei, only the owner is able to open this box. It is protected by one of Spirit World's strongest enchantments. You'll never have to worry about losing your mother's tear gems again.-Botan

_He swallowed and filled his lungs with a deep, calming breath. He felt suddenly warm inside, his face flushed and tingled. When he doubled back to the freezer, the cool air felt good to his face. The carton of ice cream was his favorite._

* * *

"Are you going to stay up there all night, Hiei?"

He shifted his eyes away from the light in the window of her apartment building. Kurama was encompassed by the shadows at the base of the tree. He turned his face back. "Hn."

"You've been avoiding me all afternoon."

A figure passed by the window, temporarily casting the light into darkness. "You don't have to say anything, just come on back inside. Koenma's up there. This isn't socializing time; you'll need to hear whatever he has to say."

"Fine," Hiei stated. Against his better judgment, he stalked after his long time friend. Just one small step past the entryway of her apartment, there was a state of organized disaster. Kuwabara was engaged in some sort of dispute with the ruler of Spirit World. The fire demon was surprised to discover that the second party involved in the confrontation was a recently healed phoenix, rather than the delinquent-turned-detective. Botan placed a heaping plate of food in his grasp and motioned to the empty seat to her left.

"I don't want to be a trouble to you all anymore," Faye said. Her hair tumbled down over her shoulders. The eyes like liquid sapphires fell on each of them before she looked back to Koenma. "My being here has put all of you in danger. I've interfered with your lives."

Koenma nodded, not bothering to deny it. He met her gaze with solemn eyes, and replied in a hushed tone. "Avoiding the alternative makes up for any inconvenience."

The phoenix gestured with her hands. "Forcing Spirit World's best to be cooped up in an apartment for nine straight days, at each other's throats because they can't leave, all to protect me – that's an inconvenience. But _this_, this is asinine. There is no reason to send Hiei and Kurama into the heart of Demon World because of me."

His gaze flickered to Kurama, who showed no surprise at the statement. He had obviously had proper warning. Yusuke kicked his feet up onto Botan's coffee table. His muscles were clenched, eyes tight, despite the relaxed posture. In a low voice he whispered, "I really am sorry 'bout that, Faye. I had no right to – "

"Don't worry about it Yusuke," she assured him. "Will you tell Keiko that I'm sorry about all this? I would really hate to be the cause of some sort of argument between the two of you."

The dark haired spirit detective shifted his stance, as if he were about to offer some sort of rebuttal to her claim. A moment passed and his shoulders slumped. The denial left his eyes. He didn't bother to refute what she had said.

Koenma sighed, "Nevertheless, I feel this is something that must be done. The people who took you, Faye, are not going to stop. They had a reason for capturing you and their purpose is _not_ finished. By sending Kurama and Hiei to Demon World, we might be able to figure out exactly who 'they' are. It's not something I feel comfortable doing, but I know it has to be done."

"The fact of the matter is, Koenma, you know more than you are letting on," she hissed.

Hiei narrowed his eyes at the ruler.

"My father – "

Botan rose to her feet in a single, fluid movement. Her aqua ponytail swung behind her and she walked out of her apartment without looking back at its new occupants. He followed her slender form with his eyes.

Koenma took a deep breath. "I can't say what's going to happen next. And I'm not going to deny that Kurama and Hiei will be in danger. The important thing is that we figure out who captured you and why. As soon as we figure that out, we'll be able to prevent it."

"Hn," he said and darted out of the room in a blurred shadow.

* * *

Botan ran pale, slender fingers over her face. The breeze that sliced through the chills bit at her cheeks. Sporadic flakes of snow stuck to her clothes and hair. A feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. Koenma _was_ keeping things a secret, just as Genkai had told her. This wasn't going to be resolved without something bad happening. She looked out into the black sky; tiny pinpoints of light were hidden by the moving clouds.

"You shouldn't worry," his voice was flat. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I know," she smiled. A bubble of laughter came forth again. "Be careful, Hiei."

He nodded once, eyes blank. A momentary hesitation passed and he stepped closer to her to place a small item in her hand. "Would you keep this for me?"

Then he vanished into the shadows again. In the dim moonlight, she saw the smooth wood of the gift she'd given him for his birthday. A smile worked its way onto her face.

* * *

**Let me know what you all thought. Please read and review! Thanks!**

* * *


	7. Upholding Tradition

**Hey, I haven't forgotten about this story! I haven't. But I'm six assignments behind in my Chemistry class and my dad just had surgery so I've been pretty busy here lately. I am fairly certain that this is the last "seemingly random" chapter before the plot starts to develop a little. Bare with me, I'm getting there. Anyway, read and review! Please!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.**

Draw a circle, not a heart, around the one you love because a heart can break but a circle goes on forever.

* * *

_December 24_

The dollop of whipped cream settled in the middle of her chipped mug, blending her hot chocolate into a softer brown. Steam curled into the air. She lifted the ceramic mug to her lips and took a sip. Fire touched her tongue. She pulled her head away and winced at the coarse numbness sinking in when she touched her tongue to the roof of her mouth. She peered out into the lamplight.

The stillness was her gift. No one apart from her had passed through the door to her abode since midnight December twenty-third. Kuwabara was stirring up arguments with Shizuru and Yusuke was fending off the various blows Keiko directed at him as he spent Christmas Eve with the Yukimuras. For the evening, the toddler of Spirit World had whisked the current phoenix off with the invitation of putting some of the largest lights in the Three Worlds on one of the smallest, most pitiful trees she had ever seen.

She smiled at how obvious their excuses were.

The curtains to her window were pulled open. Slanted rays from a nearby streetlight cast a triangle of yellow on her carpet. Outside the flecks of ice twirled in complicated circles to the ground. The hot chocolate, now cooled, was sweet on her tongue.

"_I'll be home for Christma – _"

She turned the volume dial on her radio down. The contentment had faded from her eyes; gravity weighed down on the corners of her lips. She turned around to lift the mug back to her lips and her eyes landed on the small mahogany box she'd been entrusted with.

An idea took root within her mind and she spun on her heels with all the excitement of bottled childhood. The next station blared enthusiasm through its speakers and she twisted the volume up as loud as it would go. In the semi-darkness of her apartment, alone and in her bare feet, she threw her head back. With a bubble of laughter, she spun on her feet, arms flailing out around her in a dance without constraints. The spirit guide tumbled through the air, letting momentum carry her in a circular path across her floor. Colors played on the back of her eyelids – vibrant yellows and greens and pinks.

With one last squeal of delight, she flung herself onto the couch and stared up at the ceiling, spinning above her head. Her chest heaved and she let her head fall back. The music that had commanded her to move now faded into softer chords, willing her to calm and relax. Enjoy the serenity, it told her.

"Merry Christmas, Hiei," she said to the four walls. "I hope you're somewhere, safe and warm, with people who love you."

* * *

The shuddering intake of breath – half sob, half gasp, half sigh – sent a ripple of quiet through the crowd. Botan blinked her bright magenta eyes; her arm was still poised in the air to make the final tug on the ribbon of her gift. All eyes fell on Yukina; her dazed expression took center stage. Her eyes were wide, with an almost awed sense of wonder flooded into the depths of cherry red. Her thin smile was shaped into the tiniest 'o' and her fingers trembled as they lifted a card closer to her face.

Botan's shoulders drooped in surprise. The card was one of hers – the missing piece from her stationary set.

A droplet of moisture balled in the corner of the ice maiden's eyes. Two identical tears rolled down her porcelain cheeks, glowing dimly as they crystallized halfway along the journey to the carpet below her folded knees. They plinked softly in front of her.

No one had dared to move.

She raised her eyes to look out at them. They almost seemed to tremble beneath her long lashes. In a breathy voice, not so very different from the sigh that had escaped her lips moments before, she whispered, "Where is he?"

Her lips curved up into a smile. That was when they knew.

"H-he told you…"

Botan looked at Kurama. He seemed off-balance, uneasy. The many days he had spent away from Human World, from those who loved him, had taken a far greater toll on him than he revealed in the small, humble smile he had given them when he returned. With a quiet "thank you" he had accepted the welcoming hugs and bombardments and then turned to Koenma and said, "I'll return to the mission at hand after I see my mother."

She hadn't laid eyes on Hiei since the fire demon had entrusted her with the box she'd given him. As far of any of them knew, he had crossed into Demon World and slipped into the shadows without a second glance. The spirit guide looked back to Yukina; clearly he hadn't been as far away as she'd thought.

And clearly something had changed in the Forbidden Child's mind to make him step up and claim the sister that was looking for him.

The ice apparition's aqua head bobbed once. "Do you know where he is?"

He fumbled with words. "N-no…I haven't seen Hiei in weeks."

The light that danced in her eyes seemed untouched by his words. "When you see him, will you tell him that he's wrong? From the beginning, I had always hoped that my brother would be like him. He doesn't have a reason to worry."

Kuwabara furrowed his brows. "What? What is going on? Shortie is…what? Hiei can't be Yukina's brother! She's sweet and he's – not! This is – This is – ugh!"

And he fell backwards onto couch.

"Kazuma!" Yukina rose to her feet amidst the laughs that now filled the room. But there was sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there before; and after Kuwabara had been revived and calmed, when she settled back into her place by the window, she slipped the two tear gems into the envelope and tucked them into her kimono with a smile that rivaled the sun.

Botan giggled and shook her head. For some reason, she'd always imagined that the big revelation would come with more fanfare. In reality, though, nothing much had changed; Yukina's smile was still just as radiant as before. The only noticeable difference was the glimmer in her eyes, like that of a child whose excitement was threatening to burble over. Botan wondered for a moment if maybe the ice maiden had known all along (they were twins after all) and Hiei's fears had been just that – ungrounded fears. Another tiny giggle passed her lips. _It's not that much of a leap. This is Hiei after all. He's probably lurking in the shadows somewhere, waiting for things to die down before he makes his entrance._

"Want to help me in the kitchen, Botan?" Shizuru's calm, collected voice broke through her amused thoughts. The older woman seemed untouched by the atmosphere, more pensive than enthusiastic.

"Sure thing, Shizuru, of course," she bobbed her head twice and hopped up onto stiff legs. She'd been sitting cross-legged for far too long.

The kitchen of the Kuwabara apartment was cluttered with half empty containers of food. The sink was piled high with dishes one atop another; the silverware was balanced on the top plate.

"There're more plates in the cabinet," Shizuru directed her to the end of a row of brass-knobbed cabinet doors. "I'll get the pie."

"How many do we need, Shizuru?" She raised herself up onto her toes and pressed her waist into the countertop for balance so both her hands were free.

"Uh, I don't know. Why don't you get as many as there are?"

Botan hummed the three lines she knew of the carol under her breath. Shizuru came back around with the chilled pie and a knife. She peeled back the wrapping and paused, "Is he really just going to leave her hanging like that?"

Botan looked up at her long time friend. She mimicked cutting the pie a few times, making the mental calculations so all the pieces would be the same size.

"I don't think he intended to hurt her," she mused. "Hiei's been operating under this misguided impression that he's not good enough to be her brother. Whatever may have changed enough for him to tell her the truth, that fear of his – that she's going to reject him – didn't go away. He'll come around once he's gathered the courage to do so."

"It just seems mighty unfair to Yukina."

"It is," Botan nodded, "but you have to look at it from his side, too."

Shizuru smiled just a little bit as she lifted a piece onto a plate, "I never thought I would see the day where Botan was arguing _Hiei's_ side of an argument."

She flushed and dug into a drawer for the spoons. "It's just not fair to him, that's all. Everyone always makes it out that he's being cruel by not telling Yukina the truth. I don't think that's true and I don't like it when people talk bad about other people."

"I see," she nodded and scooped out another piece. "Well, I still hope he gets his butt over here soon. That girl is the sweetest thing I've ever met and she deserves to _see_ her brother, now that she knows who he is."

"I agree," Botan nodded. _You had better get here soon, Hiei. I'll hunt you down myself if you don't and then I'll whack you with my oar until you tell Yukina that you're sorry for being late._

"He was scared that I wouldn't want him to be my brother?"

Botan jumped at the unsuspected tone of voice, so soft and pleading, and whirled around. Her fingers slipped and the blue-speckled ceramic plate crashed onto the floor. The half-frozen piece of peanut butter pie disconnected and landed in the middle of the shards of broken pottery with a faint, sticky _thump_.

Yukina was looking at them through aqua blue bangs, out of eyes that were so much like her brother's. Her shoulders slumped a little, and her smile was one of chagrin. "I'm sorry to startle you, Botan."

"It was nothing, Yukina," she shook her head. Stepping to the side, she crossed the kitchen to offer the ice apparition a loose hug. "I'm sorry that Hiei isn't here tonight. It's just - "

"He was afraid of how I would react," Yukina finished. "He's always been afraid of how I would react. Before, whenever he would come to tell me about his search, I always felt like there was some piece that was missing. In the way he looked at me, it was almost like he was just waiting for me to put everything together and then tell him to go away. He was always more jumpy when he was around me. Now, I finally understand why. It's so obvious now. Hiei is my brother."

Botan opened her mouth to reply but Shizuru cut her off with a chuckle, "Brothers are like that, Yukina. Guys don't seem to know how to tell people what they're thinking so most of the time they just sit there and look at you stupidly, waiting for you to figure it out."

Yukina laughed a little. "He doesn't need to be afraid. Whatever it is that he's afraid I'll reject, I won't. He's been nothing but good to me. He's protected me, looked out for my safety and happiness since I first met him. Whether or not he realizes it, he's acted like my brother this whole time."

"I know that," Botan nodded, "and sooner or later, he will too."

"Yukina."

The three turned in the direction of the voice. He stood just inside an open window, swathed in shadow from the outside. Hiei took a hesitant step into the room, then paused, uncertain. His sister stared at him for a long moment; her cherry red eyes shimmered in the dim light. Then she rocketed across the floor.

"Hiei."

He held her close, stiff and fearful. Her tear gems clinked to the ground but she smiled when she pulled away and kissed his cheek. "Brother."

Shizuru ducked out of the room with the pie to give the reunited siblings their privacy. With a grin, Yukina laced her fingers through his and tugged him into the murmur from the other room. Botan was left alone, smiling down at the broken plate.

They kept the broom next to the washing machine down the hall. She hummed a tuneless song and crossed the floor to get it. She reentered the kitchen, swinging the broom in her hand like it was her oar. Five strong fingers curled around her upper arm, yanking her to one side. Hiei looked up at her, a faint glare on his face. In a quick, disconcerting movement, he reached down and snatched the piece of the plate she'd almost stepped on.

"I should have known you'd try to step on it in your bare feet."

"Thank you, Hiei."

"Hn."

"Where's Yukina?" she teased.

Hiei looked away. His cheeks flushed rosy. "I came to get the other plates for her so she wouldn't have to get up."

Botan nodded, "That's an acceptable thing for a brother to do. You're settling into this role well, Hiei."

He turned his glare back on her, but somehow it had lost its impact. There was a relief underlying his expression, a calm that she'd never seen there before. She giggled. He shot her a warning glance and she smiled at it. Hiei's hard, steely outer wall was faltering. She tossed the pieces into the trash can and cleaned the place where the pie still stuck to the floor.

"Were you successful in Demon World?"

"I don't know what that toddler wanted us to find out," Hiei said, "but there wasn't much _to _find out."

"What do you mean?" She came to stand beside him, brows furrowed.

"Whoever it is that kidnapped the phoenix, they weren't a demon," he said. "But they are powerful. Something dark was hanging over the Demon World, like the looming clouds of a coming storm."

Botan sighed and rolled her shoulders to ease the tension that was balling in her neck. She twisted her head around, stretching. A glimmer of green caught her eye. Above them, hanging a few inches from the ceiling, was a small, unobtrusive cluster of white and green. She arched a brow at it. "What?"

Hiei followed her gaze and snorted at the sight. "Hn. That idiot's too dumb to realize that he has weeds hanging from his ceiling."

Botan laughed. "It's not a weed, silly, it's mistletoe."

"Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"When two people are caught under the mistletoe, they have to kiss – " She jerked back a step when she realized what the words actually meant. Her magenta eyes stared into his before she shifted her gaze to anything and everything else. He spared a glance to the doorway into the other room. No one was watching them.

Botan backed away until her spine met the edge of the countertop. Her laugh was nervous now, fake. "It's okay, though. We can ignore the little tradition, just this once. No one'll know."

She turned to pick up a spoon and the piece of peanut butter pie Shizuru had left. She stabbed at it with the metal and turned go back into the family room. Hiei grabbed her arm again and spun her around to face him. For the briefest moment, he pressed his lips to hers, and then he pulled away from her, stalking toward the family room. His cheeks were pink again.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Her voice shook a little.

"To tell Kurama to mind his own damn business," he said without looking at her. The plates rattled in his grip.

* * *

**For some reason, this chapter was a lot of fun to write. I hope you all enjoyed it, too. Please leave me a little review. I tend to get a little unsure of myself when I don't know what people think. A real quick question: any suggestions on gifts from Hiei to Botan or vice versa? I am the world's worst at deciding what to give people and I could really use some advice. Thanks! Review!**

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